First Cat & the Cream, now Saf - I was just talking about this the other day, how Wholefoods seems to be the kiss of death for vegan businesses.

I was totally gutted the main Saf restaurant closed down (and it also closed down very suddenly, no chance for a last supper there) but I've never liked eating at the one in Wholefoods. The menu wasn't as good and I wasn't willing to spend what they were charging to eat in a 'food court' environment.

At Vegan Drinks last month they had a new bar snacks menu, I had the cashew cheeses which were delicious as always but the burger they were offering wasn't even made by them. And the service was truly appalling.

i went to their Hackney location only once before it shut down, and while not a perfect experience i definitely would have gone back. i thought it was sort of strange that they had moved an upscale-ish dining business to the space above Whole Foods, and now that i think about it i'm kind of surprised they lasted so long there. i ate there a few months ago - the food was good, but it's not the environment i would want for a nice meal out. i just came back from London this evening, and while i wanted to eat there one last time before they close, it was just too out of the way from everything else we were doing this weekend.

_________________vegan cheese bigamy is not allowed. - LisaPunk

So today at PPK I learned how to fork up a falafel and a taco. - craiger_ny

no, i was thinking of Cat & the Cream. the second paragraph was about Saf - they used to be in Shoreditch, right?

Ah, I see! I thought that because you said Hackney, I always think of that area as Hoxton/Old Street, but I should have realised since the whole paragraph was about Saf!

EmperorTomatoKetchup wrote:

according to C&tC's website & twitter, they haven't gone out of business; they're just taking some time off.

Yeah I know . . . call me cynical but how many times have we heard this sort of story when places are closing down and surprise surprise we never see them again (for example Otarian, Red Veg, Zilli Green). I can't believe anyone would seriously choose to suddenly take 'time out' of a successful business, especially when they've made great contacts and are stocking Wholefoods and Ocado. My guess is they over expanded and had quality control issues (I'd often see the paper cases falling off certain flavours in Wholefoods which doesn't look great) but of course I don't know for sure.